2009 National Enduro Round 1, Sumter, SC
 

With temperatures in the 40's, 31 pro riders and just over 600 riders signed up it seemed like a race that would be one to remember. With the best of the best there, now it is time to see who has been training and who is in the best condition and at the top of there game. I had row 43A (riding the pro/AA class) and with at least a foot and a half of snow back home I knew I wasn’t quiet as prepared as some of the other riders.
We went down to South Carolina accouple days early to break in my brand new 2009 GAS GAS EC 250 Race version. This bike is asome! :D The sachs suspension really makes this bike able to handle anything, from whoop sections, to double jump and even a high speed log crossing. Now with 2days of riding under my belt I knew I just had to race and see how I do.

The 1st section I took off and felt really smooth but just not fast because I was so pumped up. The second section I still felt really tight and just couldn’t get in a rhythm. At the gas stop I made some suspension adjustments because the races had more small chops than big whoops like I had expected.
After that I felt pretty good but I just kept loosing concentration and starting making big mistakes (smashing into trees and blowing corners). Somewhere right before the 2nd gas i misjudged a tight tree section and drove me foot square into a tree. At first I thought it was just a stinger but after awhile I just couldn’t shift that fast or dab my foot. I just wanted to finish so I rode kind of cautious.

In the end I had fun, I didn’t do even as close to as well as I would have liked to but I loved the bike and can’t wait to get on it again at my next race, more prepared and in a better mind set. Its time to hit the track and do as much riding, racing, and training possible before the next round I ride on march 5th in Daytona beach Florida. I will be skipping round 2 in Greensboro GA, in order to get things ready for bike week and make sure I get things 100% so I can put in a good ride for myself and GAS GAS.

If anyone is going down to Florida for the week of bike week, I have accouple places we are going to be doing some testing for the alligator enduro, Send me a PM if you want to know the location or the dates we will be there.

JOHN T. Maier
GAS GAS UNLIMITED
301 South Broad St
Meriden, CT 06450
(203) 631 0337

Thanks for the report. Looks like you still got a top 30 finish so not to shabby with a smashed foot and lack of real good riding time with all the snow back home. Some other New England boys put in some good rides and almost top 10 for Jake Korn (another former GG rider...dam)

How about the other Gas Gas riders? And I didn't see former GG rider Billy Burns in the results and I know he was going.

Talked to Billy yesterday right after the race. He got 4th in his class and pretty much spanked the GG team. I knew in Minnesota Billy was going to be strong this year. He has been pretty much training all winter and has no cob webs to really dust off. Good for him.

Best of luck to all the GG riders. Gasgasman & myself will be at the next 4 rounds racing our asses off. Hopefully my hands will let me race the 2nd round here in a few weeks. If not I will once again be a "Pit Bitch":D

Thanks for the report John!:cool: Keep the shiney side up.:D

Boomer

Billy had a strong ride, i believe he had a 4th in A 200, Jake Fiola lead team GAS GAS with a 5th in A open, Chance Baker finished 8th in A Open, Phil Ellis got a 4th in A super senior, and Curt comer, and Rick Fiola also had strong finishes.


On my drive home I got a phone call from Billy Burns saying some one had been air lifted out of the race and I bleive he said CAMERON MARBURGER who is a gas gas rider who is racing in the A 200 class. This is sad to hear, I met Cameron this weekend and he seemed like a nice kid. Best wishes, If anyone hears anything about him please post it on here and keep him in your prayers. I believe it was something to do with his leg?????

Yeah he broke his Femur in the last test section from what I was told.

Heal up quick Cameron!

John how is the power on that 250?

boomer

I like it alot but I think it needs alittle more in the low to mid, but it goes great if you stay on the pipe, Im thinking about getting one of the LTR power value covers, I guess that helps the power there. Any suggestions?

Do the power valve cover and if you have time send the carb off to Ron at RB desings. His carb mod works wonders! It is not to expensive and it makes tuning your carb way easier.

Here is his web address.
http://www.rb-designs.com/

Boomer

John,

I just took a look at the results and they are showing you as riding a KTM. You might want to try and get that straightened out.

Boomer

...and they're showing Billy on GG.

Yeah, I noticed the Billy and John bike errors too.

Here are the results:
http://www.sermaclub.com/Results/2009End.mht

I also attached a pdf file of the results "sorted" by bike brand and class. This allows you to quickly see the GG riders (about 17 riders). Also, there are a bunch of riders with no bike brands listed.

thanks for the advice.I will send my carb out and see how that works. I took care of the brand change on the National Enduro Results, the next round I ride it will change to gas gas on my results. Cant wait to get outta the snow and do some warm weather riding down in bike week!

Hello everyone,

It was great to see everyone again, even Mr Berg! Thanks to the Maiers for hauling my stuff around and letting me pit out of your van. Johnny sorry to read about your foot, I know all to well about sore feet and toes. Sad news about Cameron, hope he heels up quick. Jason it was great to meet you hope you are able to come to a few more races this year and that my old bike treats you well. Rich, great job with the " Team Look" this year. The graphics looked good as did the smith power sports fender stickers and the shirts. (where can I get one of those?) Curt, I will try you on your cell phone, I wished that we had time to catch up and talk.( say hello to the girls for me) Jake and Rick, don't show up @ Rd # 2 without the pictures of your deer! And last Mr. Berg, you looked good and thanks for the head lock as well as the hug! I always new that you would miss me, but now your just going to have to hang out with a pumpkin.

Great job by all of you! See you all in Georgia.

Billy "pumpkin" Burns

Now That Is Some Funny Sh$t!!!!!!!! Billy As You Were Giving Mark A Big Old Hug I Was Sipping Back Some Drinks With Your Right Hand Man And The Pumpkin Head Sales Rep. None Other Than Brooks Aka "hollywood" Hamilton. He Had No Choice Either Get Beat Up By A Short Fat Guy Or Party With Him. We Had A Blast Hope You Guys Did Too, Ps We Had The Best Looking Bike At The Banquet Hands Down. Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas !!!!!!!!!!! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas !!!!!!!!! Hell Ya

Red,

Best looking bike....in your dreams. You must have been drinking the hard stuff and your vision got blurry.

Yes Vision Was Blurry, Very Blurry But Like I Said And I Will Not Say It Again Big Bill!!!!! We Had The Best Looking Race Bike In That Place Hands Down Even Hollywood Was Peaking.. I Will Email Pic When I Get Them. The Ktm's Were Late Like Usual , They Must Of Been Out In The Truck Bolting On Parts After They Came In And Seen The Gasser. Hehe!!

That carb. on the '09 was sure getting some attention.
Nice to finally meet you RonRed. Did you get any pics to blackmail Hollywood with ? :D

You had a great spread at the banquet Ron. It was the first thing I noticed after I walked in the door. Those Bikes looked awesome. It was a pleasure meeting you.

I do have to give the Bergs a nod for beauty too. I looked them over, but never took look at the KTM's or BMW's. Well I did glance at them. The BMW 450 set up for winter riding did look pretty mean too.

The netra awards nite sounded like a good time, I wish I could have been there. Is anyone planing on going the the ecea awards nite in accouple weeks (feb 21st)? It would be good to get some gas gas support down there. I'd be interested in going if anyone wanted to make the trip. I also need to see where to sign up. And Mark has to send me my GAS GAS tent so I dont have to show up with a dicks sporting goods $99 special tent that has seen its better days.

Were you guys near the NEPG trailer with the GG EZ-up? I was going to stop in but the registration line up was soooo long I didn't want to lose my spot. That was an excellent course and we all had a good time. It was nice to get away from the snow for a few days. I came home and had to shovel. :mad:

Yea that was Rich Smith, He is our gas gas support at the national enduros this year. You should ahve stopped by. I was parked across from them in a white chevy express van with a gas gas sticker on the back window (no gas gas easy-up yet)